Pit-bull bylaw could be fatal, say dog owners

Vancouver,British Columbia, Canada -- Pit bull advocates in Windsor, Ontario say a proposed by-law being considered by Vancouver city council could lead to the euthanizing of dozens of animals.

Windsor has a similar bylaw in effect. And Natalie Kemeny of Advocates for the Underdog says the insurance requirement is a killer.

In Windsor, as with Vancouver's proposal, the by-law requires pit-bull owners to buy $1 million in liability insurance.

But Kemeny says many insurance companies won't insure pit-bull owners, so they have to give up their pets.

"There's been close to 100 dogs euthanized, and we've rescued 50 dogs from euthanization since September 27, 2004."

Windsor's Humane Society confirms that dozens of pit-bull type dogs have been put down since the bylaw was enacted last year.

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Vancouver city councillor Tim Stevenson, who's been pushing for the bylaw here, says he wasn't aware so many dogs had been killed in the Ontario city.

"Obviously we're going to have to look at that problem and see if that is the case," he says. "That doesn't say much about the people if they just let their dogs go."

The Insurance Bureau of Canada confirms there are companies that won't sell coverage to dog owners. There's also the problem of cost with the companies that do sell the coverage charging as much as $750 a year.

Vancouver council is set to vote on its dangerous dogs bylaw on Thursday afternoon.